Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-17

Mary burst into tears. She sat down
on the edge of the wheelbarrow and
hid her head in her mothers apron like
a child.
80. mother, who has done this?"
she cried. ssWho can have been so
wicked-so cruel?"
'sIt's the boys, I'm afraid, said Mrs.
Hay. Don't fret, ughter-don't!
It's done, and it can't be helped"
1.-THE boys never served Us so be-
FORE" said Mary between her sobs.
es, mother, you are right. 1t can't
be helped. Let us 90 home. There
: an end OF the subscription-money
now"
Slowly and sadly the two women
toiled back up the hill with the
wheelbarrow and the basket. Mr..
Hay, just returned from the harvest
field, heard their story with amaze
ment.
'.It's the first time that ever a tree of
mine was robbed" said he. 81 didn't
know as we had such boys in the
neighborhood, but, look here, Polly,
don't cry" laying his broad brown
hand soothingly on his daughters
shoulder. 1'It's always darkest just
before daylight Here's S. gold
piece that Mrs. Blake paid me for the
hay in the up medder. | was GO
ing to take it toward the taxes, but |
guess taxes can wait.
mo, father" said Mary, ''our just
debts are our just debts. Ioughtn't to
touch this money"
''Squinches, eh," said Luke Larabee,
who had come in with stone pitcher
Cor a gallon of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar,
s'Squinches is mighty scuss this season.
I see Mrs Biggard's folks dom up a
sight on 'em when [ was over there
this morning. Mrs. Biggard, she's
dreadful churchy, you know, and the
parson he'd said he was partial to pre-
served squinches; and there was she
and Ruey and Almiry tuckerin like all
possessed to get'em done"
''Says /:
"Why, whar did ye get all them ere
squinches?'
Says she:
81 bought 'em of a boy at the door,
'Says /:
NO, We didn't Electa Biggard; We
got EN- last night outen old Farmer
Hays sidehill squinch orchard, clus to
the railroad says /, "cause l seen
you and Ruey a-carryin' the clothes
basket between you, and it was cram
jam full o big yaller squinches.'
''And so | did, for our cow she got
outen the field and wandered down
the railroad, and [ was huntin' of her
by moonlight, when | seen them from
behind them sassafras bushes down by
the track. Wal, you should have seen
her turn redder than the big bell
dippers out in the garden patch.
"'What an if I did?' says she. Mary
Hay she gave 'em to me-.
90 says I, that's a horse of
another color, says |.
But now it appears" with his
shabby, gray eyebrows slightly ele-
waited, ''that We didn't give 'em to her,
hey?"
Mary and her mother looked blank
ly at each other. The good father
chuckled.
Them ounces was worth S. at the
very least" he said. 81 guess, Polly,
The ladies of the Fund Committee
were at Mrs. Biggard's house that
afternoon. A good many faithful and
of the brotherhood as well.
Mr.. Mildmav sauntered in toward
tea-time and was thanking Zeruiah and
Almira Biggard for the beautiful jars
of preserved ounces which had found
their way to the rectory, when Mrs.
Biggard's shrill voice sounded above
the hum of general discourse.
.'Now that the minister is here there
amt no reason why we shouldn't rem
der in our accounts" she cackled
"And I'm happy to say that every lady
in the parish has given something to
the Eboe Indian fund except Miss
Hay"
Mr.. Midway bit his lip, Zeruiah
cast down her white-lashed eyes, Almira
giggled family.
MA is SO frank spoken" she said.
Il scarcely think" quietly observed
Mr. Mildmay, s'that there was any
necessity for particularizing in such a
matter as this.
81 hain't no patience with mean
folks, said Mrs. Biggard, speaking in
a stage-aside.
But Mary Hay had risen calmly
from her seat among the younger
ladies.
s.Neither have /" said She .sAnd so
propose to subscribe to the fund the
S. which Mrs. Biggard is going to pay
me"
She moved easily and gracefully
toward the lady of the house, and held
out her hand with an air of calm ex-
pectancy.
..Mer' cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goin'
to pay you s.! I guess that gal is
crazy! What in the world should pay
you S. for?"
For the ounces" said Mary, enjoy
ing the sudden panic which turned the
matronly, rubicund face to the color of
badly-risen dough, 1.-THE ounces which
you bought of US last night and forgot
to pay for"
Mrs. Biggard uttered something no
body knew exactly what it was, but the
changes of her complexion would have
reminded one of the proyerbial diving
dolphin" as she drew out her purse
and deposited crumpled tive-dollar
bill in Miss Hays quietly -extended
palm.